This invention relates generally to pointing devices for computers, and more specifically to an easily separable trackball in a notebook computer system.
The design trend of computers has been toward making them compact and mobile, and very powerful notebook-sized computer systems (notebook computers) have been developed. Many modern notebook computers have a trackball to simulate the functions of the "mouse" device in a desktop computer. In many such notebook computers, the trackball and the keyboard are integrated as one unit and the trackball is positioned in front of the keyboard. FIG. 1 shows a prior art notebook computer 100 with a built-in trackball 102. In such a notebook computer, the trackball cannot be separated from the computer.
For convenience and versatility, notebook computers with separable trackballs have been supplied to the market. One typical notebook computer 201 having a separable trackball assembly 202 is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. A trackball 203 is placed in the center of assembly 202. This trackball assembly can either be fit together with the body portion holding the keyboard 204 to form a whole, or can be separated from the body portion that holds the keyboard 204. In the latter case, notebook computer 201 still works normally, only without the functions of the trackball.